Here, There, and Everywhere
by AvatarTwilightObsession
Summary: a collection of oneshots about avatar, Kataang, Sukka, Maiko all traditional pairings, the ones I like most! some fluff, some action, and Sokka's traditional sarcasm. R&R and enjoy! hope you like, just some ideas i've had, things i wished had happened. XD
1. The One with The Mini Vacations

**Hello my dudey ones**

**This is my first try at some avatar oneshots, i've been working on a Twilight story lately, so i decided to go for something different!**

**DISCLAIMER - i don't own avatar. Will someone tell me who does?**

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"WHAT?" Sokka screamed.

Aang, Katara and Toph were all lounging on the front steps of their house in Ba Sing Se. Sokka was pacing back and forth in front of them, throwing his arms about, clearly ranting about something. Katara wasn't really bothered to listen to him, so she just lay back and enjoyed the sun. After a while she heard Aang chuckle, so she focused on reality again. Sokka was still ranting.

"You want to do WHAT Aang?"

Aang smiled brightly. "Take another of our mini vacations! Remember when we did that last year? I showed you those really awesomely cool singing voles?"

Toph rolled her eyes, "Awesomely cool isn't the word I'd use for it…"

Aang ignored her and turned back to Sokka. "Sokka, it's been a year since we defeated the Firelord. We've all been working loads since then, don't you think we deserve some time off? It'll be great, just like old times, since Zuko and Iroh are off in the firenation, and Suki is with her warriors. Just us 4, like it used to be. The original Team Avatar!" Sokka grinned despite himself.

Katara spoke up, "I think it's a great idea Aang! I know some places I want to see, and Sokka, I'm sure there's somewhere you want to go?" She glanced slyly at him. He was stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm…well I guess I could allow us to have a week off from our schedule. Let me see…" He reached into his bag and brought out a long roll of parchment and his fake beard. He stuck it on then unrolled his schedule.

Katara stared at him, "Sokka, you still have that fake beard?!"

He looked up, "Why yes, oh dear sister of mine, I go nowhere without it. It's perfect for genius moments like this."

"I don't know why Suki puts up with you."

"Neither do I," Toph added, "there must be something about that beard that she likes. I certainly can't see it."

"Nope."

Sokka pointedly ignored them and stabbed at the parchment. "If my calculations are correct, which, of course, they are, then this week is pretty good for taking a few mini vacations. We have to be back by the solstice, though, cos Aang has a big ceremony he has to go to. Something about…" he checked the paper, "oh yes, the Celebration of Cabbage and Merchants…or something like that."

Aang groaned. "How many more of these stupid ceremonies do I have to go to?"

"All of them!"

"Wh-h-hy?"

"Don't you moan at me, it's not my fault you're the Avatar. This all comes with the amazing bending package, I'm afraid."

"Maaaan"

Toph broke in, completely changing the subject. "So, do I get to choose a mini vacation this time?"

Sokka looked thoughtfully at her, then shrugged. "I guess you're eligible for privileges like mini vacation picking now that you're officially in Team Avatar."

"Score!"

"Do we have to call ourselves that?"

"Of course. Now, go choose your mini vacation destinations…hey, that rhymes!" Sokka chuckled as he pulled at his beard. Aang jumped up and grabbed Katara's hand, tugging her inside. He grinned at her excitedly, "So, where are you going to go?"

She thought for a second and then decided. "I think probably that place we went when I first started teaching you waterbending. Where we got attacked by Zuko and those pirates…" She grinned. "I'd definitely like to go back there. What about you?"

"That sounds great! I want to go back to Chameleon bay, where we waited for the invasion to start."

"Where you went stir crazy with nerves?"

"Not crazy, just sleep deprived."

She giggled, "I'd say more like crazy. Anyways, you go find Appa, and I'll go tell Sokka where we want to go." She ran out of the door and Aang wandered off towards the garden at the back of the house. After waking Appa up (with much poking and yelling) he dragged him to the front of the house where Sokka and Katara were having an argument.

"You can't choose the library as your mini vacation again! Remember what happened last time?"

"I want to go back and annoy that stupid Owl some more!"

"Well you can't. Last time you ended up getting us all in trouble with your stupid fire nation obsession, and the owl sunk the library anyway!"

Sokka crossed his arms, "Fine. OO! Let's go to…the moon!"

"Sokka. No."

He sighed, "Ok, fine then, I've thought of something else. I want to go back to Kyoshi Island, and see Suki."

"Nice idea Sokka," Aang agreed as he pulled Appa up to them. "Do you know where Toph is? We need to get going if we want to spend 2 days at each place."

"I'm coming!" Toph ran over and shot up a pillar of stone to help her jump onto Appa. The earth caught Sokka's shirt as it rose, and he was left dangling 4 feet in the air, cursing loudly.

"Damn it Toph! Do you have to do that every single time we go somewhere?"

"Don't be such a wos." She brought up another piece of earth which flung Sokka through the air and into the saddle. He crash-landed, then re-crossed his arms and sulked in a corner. Aang airbended Katara and himself onto Appa's head and they flew off.

Toph moaned, "I feel sick already. I hate flying."

Aang draped his arm around Katara then twisted round. "So, who wants to go first?" Sokka shrugged, and Toph waved her hand weakly.

"I haven't chosen yet, so one of you guys go first."

Aang looked at Katara, who smiled, "You first Aang. After all, it was your idea."

"Alright, if you're all sure. To Chameleon Bay!"

As Appa turned to the east, Sokka grumbled, "Chameleon Bay? Laaaame."

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**Soooo...should i carry on? R&R and take a look at my other story....**

**hoped you all liked it, and i love avatar tis amaazing!**

**TTFN for now folks x  
**


	2. No need for Wishing

**Bonjourno readers! **

**Thankyou for my first two reviews those who reviewed! CUPCAKES FOR YOU ALL!  
**

**This is a different take on the episode Nightmares and Daydreams. I thought that Aang's nightmare problems could be solved a little differently…**

**Read on my brave warriors!**

**DISLAIMER - i don't own avatar. WHO DOES?!**

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"4 days?!" Aang cried, "The invasion's in 4 days?"

Sokka yawned. "Meh, whatever, that's like…4 days from now. Let's just calm down and-" he broke off as he fell asleep and started snoring.

Katara shook her head at him, then said to Aang, "Sokka's got the right idea Aang. We're here, we're ready…the best thing we can do now is get plenty of rest."

"I guess…"

Katara wriggled into her sleeping bag. After a while she slowly drifted off. In the middle of the night she was woken by a noise from a few feet away. She opened her eyes blearily, but didn't move. She thought she heard someone say, "It was just a dream Momo. I still have my pants." Katara decided she was too tired to hear anything clearly, so she dismissed it as a dream and closed her eyes again.

She woke up again at her usual time, and the first thing she saw was Aang punching a tree viciously. She blinked, _what is Aang doing_? She glanced at her brother, who shrugged.

"Hey, how long have you been up?"

"A couple of hours. I've got a lot more skills to refine if I'm gonna fight Ozai."

"You know, there is such a thing as overtraining…"

Aang continued punching, then fell over as the tree dumped its leaves on him. Katara watched as he circled round her, muttering about how he wasn't ready to fight the Firelord, and how he needed more training. His eye twitched, and Katara felt uneasy. She'd seen nervous Aang before, but she'd never seen him so stressed out.

Sokka added in, "That's ok, Aang, the eclipse will block off all fire bending anyway, you don't need to know any. Plus, it's a stupid element." Trust Sokka to add his unique opinion to the situation. Katara rolled her eyes, then turned back to Aang, who was still ranting.

"I'd better spend all day training." He bowed hyperactively to both of them then sped off on his air scooter. Sokka and Katara stared after him, both very confused. Sokka hid behind his map.

"Hey, what's up with Twinkletoes?"

"I dunno…he's not usually that twitchy." Sokka shrugged, then turned back to his plans. "He's just worried about facing the Firelord, but we'll be fine. We have 3 days to calm him down anyway."

Katara chuckled to herself at the irony of the situation. Sokka was usually the one going crazy with worry, but now he was totally optimistic. Positive Sokka…she should probably remember this moment, it was unlikely she'd ever see positive Sokka again. Toph voiced her thoughts.

"Geez Sokka, since when were you so upbeat?"

"Since I got this great new map of the Fire Nation! It's so detailed…it even has little hawks flying around on it! Look at them flying!"

"Sokka, you drew those on yourself" said Katara, poking her head over his shoulder.

"Well, I though it needed some messenger birds. Hmm…" he tapped his lead on his chin, "whatever happened to Hawky?"

Katara glanced at Toph guiltily, but she didn't react.

When it was starting to get dark, Aang came back, yawning tiredly. The rest of them were already nearly asleep in their sleeping bags, and Toph yelled at Aang to shut up as he chattered away to himself.

Katara forced herself to sleep; Aang would be better in the morning.

**LATER**

Aang sat up, gasping. All his worries and doubts came rushing back. How could he have thought he could face the Firelord? He wouldn't be able to do it. "I've gotta be ready!" He sprang up and moved towards some sheep, circling them before he felt Katara come up behind him.

"Aang, you need to get some sleep."

"I can't! I need to practise! The Firelord is going to kill me and take over the world if I don't make sure I'm completely ready!"

"And circling sheep is going to help that?"

"Well no one else will practise with me!"

She put her hand on his shoulder and turned him around; he tried to ignore the warm feeling that spread from her touch. He couldn't let himself be distracted. She gazed at him with her wide blue eyes, and put her other hand on his cheek.

"Please, sleep. For me?"

"I don't want to sleep; I keep having really bad nightmares."

"About what?"

"The Firelord. Math tests. No pants. That kind of thing." She smiled ruefully, and he frowned at her, "I know, it sounds really stupid, but I can't get myself to calm down or sleep when I know I'm just going to have nightmares. And I need to get ready for the invasion! It's only 2 days away!"

"And that's why you need sleep!" Katara was suddenly struck with an idea. "C'mon, I know what'll help." She put an arm around his shoulders and led him back to the campsite. Aang had already felt some of his worry melt away; he was happier now that he had Katara so close to him. She pushed him down onto his bedroll and then sat beside him, taking his hand. She pointed into the sky, "See that star there, the brightest one? I used to wish on that star every night."

"What did you wish for?"

"Something exciting to happen, someone interesting to appear. I always wondered if there was something more outside of my village." She smiled at him, "And then you came, and my life's been interesting ever since."

He blushed, "Well, my life's been pretty good since I've come out of that iceberg. Being here with you definitely beats 100 years frozen in ice." They both laughed, and he squeezed her hand. "Thanks Katara." He looked up at the star, "Have all your star wishes come true?"

"All but one. I've only made a few."

"Which one hasn't come true?" she didn't answer, and Aang got the feeling she didn't really want to say. Katara avoided his gaze, and he studied her face, trying to work it out. She blushed, and then changed the subject.

"So, do you feel better?"

"Yeah, a little." As he thought about the coming invasion he began to feel nervous again, and his fingers began to twitch. Katara took his other hand and stared at him seriously.

"Aang, calm down. You're going to be fine, I know it. You'll defeat the Firelord and everything will be right again. You'll see." She smiled and then grabbed her bedroll, dragging it over until it lay next to Aang's. "Now, I'm staying here to make sure you go to sleep, and that you don't go wandering off again." Aang smiled as she lay down and then shot a warning glance at him. He lay on his back and looked at the sky, picking out the star Katara had shown him. Her breathing slowly evened out and she fell asleep beside him. Aang watched her, dazzled by how beautiful she was.

He shuffled on his bedroll, moving himself a little closer to Katara, careful not to wake her up. He took one last look at the sky and decided he didn't need to make any wishes; everything he wanted was right here. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

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**Awh, Kataang forever! I thought that Nightmares and Daydreams was perfectly set up for some Kataang moments, so I'll probably end up writing more in time.**

**So, did you like or not like? R&R please, I'd love to know whether I should carry on, or if it's good or not, I can't really tell. Some of the dialogue in N & D is hilarious, especially the Sokka moments. Don't we all love Sokka? Well…I do.**

**TTFN folks! Xxxx flameo my good hotmen! **

**p.s i just remembered something. ummm...oh yes, i stole some of the names and titles from friends, but that was getting boring. just so the lawyers know!  
**


	3. Still the Same

**Here I am again; this idea just popped into my head and i couldn't resist writing it down. Hope you enjoy it!**

**DISCLAIMER - i don't own Avatar, and i still don't know who does. **

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Aang is sitting on Appa, watching the world fly by beneath him. It's been a year since he's seen his friends, and he wonders how they've changed, how they'll react when they see him. How Katara will react.

He only managed to kiss her once before leaving again for the Fire Nation; it was short, but perfect. She promised she'd wait for him.

Aang can still remember her face clearly; she's all he thought about while he was away. There'd been an occasional letter, a brief note from Sokka, Toph or Katara telling him about their latest adventure. He wishes he could have been there with them, like he used to be, but he's determined never to stay away for as long as he has again.

The Southern Water Tribe city comes into view, and Aang gasps. It's much bigger; obviously Katara and the other waterbenders have been very busy. The buildings are made of ice, not snow, and the outer wall looks impregnable. Aang chuckles as he remembers what the village used to look like: tents combined with a few of Sokka's snow watchtowers.

He spies a brick house nestled in the middle of the ice, and guesses it's Toph's; she would never live here amongst all this ice unless she had a place to stay where she could see.

Again his mind wanders back to how they've all changed; he hopes that they'll all still accept him as Aang. He hopes they'll all be his friends, just as they were a year ago, and there'd be none of those awkward silences he'd grown so accustomed to in the Fire Nation. Children his age were intimidated by him; he could understand, but he hated it. They wouldn't talk to him unless he talked first, and all the time they addressed him as, "Master Aang" or "Avatar". He'd missed Toph's pet nicknames for him, the comfortable familiarity they'd all had with each other.

As Appa comes in for a landing on the icy ground, Aang squints, and he can make out 3 figures standing on the shore. He begins to smile, and they all begin to shout and yell out, "Aang!" waving their arms madly. He whoops and Appa roars; elation sweeps through him. He picks up his glider and snaps it open with practised ease, soaring off Appa's back into the open air. This is where he loves to be, and he wants to make sure his friends know he's still the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky Aang he always was.

He whoops again as he draws close to his friends; Katara looks exactly the same, except her hair is a little longer, Sokka has acquired a new sword, and Toph is taller. Appa shoots past him, and Aang is determined to beat him to the ground. He twirls his glider and shuts it, throwing himself into a dive. Sokka screams as he crashes into all three of them, sending them tumbling and sliding across the ice until they come to a stop, in a tangle of arms and legs.

He airbends himself up and then grins his crazy Aang grin. "Hey guys!" Katara hurls herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and knocking them both to the ground again. He laughs and wraps his arms around her tightly, whispering in her ear, "I missed you."

"Me too."

Sokka and Toph have both got up by now. Sokka crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. "C'mon Katara, let the kid breathe."

She giggles and stands, pulling him up with her. Toph, quite out of character for her, screams, "Group hug!" and hugs Aang tightly around the waist, while Sokka smiles grudgingly and follows suit.

Aang looks at his three friends and laughs happily. He is thrilled to be back, and all his fears vanish when Sokka pulls back, glances around, and says, "Aang, where's Momo?" Appa groans and Sokka looks at him in horror. "Oh no! He finally did it, I knew he would! Appa ate Momo…again!!" He breaks away and then immediately slips over; Toph laughs heartily at him. Momo appears from on top of Appa's head and jumps off, chirping, landing on Sokka's head. He looks thoroughly disgruntled. He glares at Aang, "This hasn't happened to me for a year now. Then you come back and all my bad luck returns! Stupid Avatar…"

Katara hasn't looked away from Aang once, and he feels her gaze on him. He turns to her, and smiles, planting a kiss on her cheek. "You waited."

She grins, "Told you I would. You didn't think you were getting out that easy, did you?"

"Nope."

"Good."

He kisses her, and she moves her arms from his torso to his neck, and he pulls her close to him. Sokka looks up, and says dryly, "Oh yes, now I remember why I didn't want Aang to come back."

Katara twists her hand, and freezes Sokka to the wall. Aang stops kissing Katara and pulls out his glider. His eyes twinkle at her, "Want a ride?"

She smirks at Sokka, "Why yes, I'd love one, Avatar Aang." Somehow her use of his formal title sounds very different to when other use it, and he likes what he hears. He bows deeply to her then grabs her waist with one hand, and the glider with the other. Katara screams with delight as they take off and soar away to the north, and Toph starts to make her way back to the city.

Sokka cries, "Toph, can't you help me?"

"I'm a blind EARTHbender. You're going to have to wait for Sugar Queen and Twinkletoes to come back before you can get out of that."

"Awh maaan."

The watertribe warrior sits back and waits for the return of the Avatar and his little sister. Somehow, he knows he has a long time to wait. The sun sets and fate chuckles at the unfortunate boy. He jerks his head up and shouts,

"Stop laughing!"

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**So, do you like? Read and review please, i have to admit i'm not too sure about this chapter, but i'll see what you think.**

**Flameo my good hotmen!**


	4. This can just be Chapter 4

**Ah yes, I have returned with more avatar goodness! I hope...anyways, this is after Aang has defeated the firelord, but before the whole scene in Ba Sing Se. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER - if i owned avatar, would i be here? NO i would be writing more episodes and putting them on the TV! no more avatar! *sobs*

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Zuko and Katara were sitting on the steps of the Firenation palace, searching the sky for any sign of their friends. Zuko was still finding it a little hard to breathe; inwardly he cursed his now insane sister on her total…craziness, for want of a better word. He glanced over to where she was chained; she had finally stopped screaming and was now fuming quietly.

Zuko did feel sorry for Azula. He knew she wasn't completely evil and that the loss of their mother had had a profound effect on her too, no matter how much she tried to hide it. He hoped that one day he would be able to help her become a better person, just like he had. If he could do it, he saw no reason why she couldn't.

Katara was tapping her foot nervously beside him, squinting hard at the setting sun and biting her lip.

"Calm down Katara, you're making Appa nervous." Appa, of course, looked his normal emotionless self, but Katara didn't appreciate what he thought was a pretty good joke.

"Don't be stupid Zuko. Appa's a ten ton flying bison; he's never nervous."

"Well you do need to calm down. I'm sure everyone is fine."

She sighed and turned her gaze back to the sunset. "But what if they're not? I didn't even get a good chance to say goodbye…"

"I assume this is Aang we're talking about?"

She nodded, "I just don't know what I'll do if he dies, Zuko. It'll be like Ba Sing Se all over again, but he won't come back."

"Aang's a strong fighter, he'll be fine." Katara buried her face in her arms and Zuko patted her shoulder awkwardly. Suddenly a dark airship appeared on the horizon, growing closer by the minute. Zuko stared at it in horror before he realized that it couldn't be his father.

"Katara, look! I think that's them!"

She jerked her head up, and they both watched the airship surreptitiously. After about half an hour it was coming in to land, so they both jumped up and ran out of the city, down to the docks. Katara could make out 4 figures standing on the prow.

"Aang!"

He flashed her a wide grin as the airship landed shakily; it was badly damaged. Sokka, Suki and Toph all waved, but Katara hardly noticed them. She only had eyes for Aang.

As he stepped onto the ground, she ran straight at him, knocking him to the floor and hugging him tightly. Sokka's eyes nearly popped out of his head and Toph laughed.

Aang grinned at Katara's show of affection. He hadn't been expecting such a violent hug, but he'd take any excuse to be close to her. He kissed her on the cheek, and she blushed.

"Seriously Katara, I'm fine. Probably a little worse now that you hit my head on the ground."

"Oh gods, Aang, I'm sorry…"

"My brain's still working, so I think I'll be ok."

Sokka pulled them both up and hugged his sister, who kept one arm around Aang. Toph punched Zuko on the shoulder. Sokka grinned at his hurt expression, then asked, "So, does anyone have any meat?"

They all laughed, and the Phoenix King grumbled at the sight of their happiness.

"Rotten kids."

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**Ah, that Phoenix King is one grumpy bloke. Oh well, i never liked him anyway. R&R everyone! Thankyou to those 7 reviewers, CUPCAKES FOR YOU ALL!!!! xxxxxx**


	5. Merry Christmas Aang and Katara!

**Another idea i had late at night!**

**Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**

**DISCLAIMER - i don't own ATLA

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Katara POV  
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"Merry Christmas Katara!"

I turned over sleepily to find Aang grinning from beside me. I laughed and lightly tapped him on the nose. "And a Merry Christmas to you."

I snuggled up to him and put my arms around him, hugging myself close. Aang's arms wound around my waist and he kissed the top of my head.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence he asked, obviously worried, "Katara…is there anything you really wanted this year? Because I had no idea what to get you and-"

I laughed again and put one finger on his lips, silencing his stammers. "Aang, don't worry, you didn't have to get me anything. You've already given me everything I want."

Aang frowned, his stormy grey eyes confused, "But I haven't given you anything…"

"Don't be stupid, of course you have." I kissed him, and in between kisses I murmured, "You've…given…me…you." I looked at him seriously, "And that's everything I've ever wanted."

He grinned his goofy smile and hugged me tightly, whispering in my ear, "Merry Christmas, my Katara."

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**awh, i love those two!**

**R&R! xxxx  
**


	6. Just Ignore The Crazy Old Lady

**What i think happened after The Puppetmaster, and how Katara got over it. Who do you think helped her? Aang! Of course.**

**DISCLAIMER - some other people own Avatar, not me.

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_Hama should pay for this_ Aang thought, glancing at Katara. Never, in all the time he had known her, had he seen her so…disturbed. She was stirring her cooking pot silently, her face blank, reflecting the light of the full moon. She had been so ever since they had returned to their camp after defeating Hama. Well, after she defeated Hama.

_Yes, Hama should definitely pay _Aang thought with more conviction as he saw Sokka tap Katara on the shoulder; Katara didn't respond.

"Katara?"

Silence.

"Katara, please, say something!"

Still she said nothing, and the camp echoed with the absence of her usual bossy voice. Aang wondered where the happy, motherly, caring girl he knew had gone, the girl who loved waterbending, the girl who loved her brother…the girl that he loved. She had become a shadow of her former self, and Aang didn't know how to get her back.

Suddenly her hand slipped, and the pot turned over. Soup spilled everywhere, and Katara began to mop it up. Aang's eyes widened as he watched; she didn't even try to clean it up with waterbending as she usually would. Sokka and Toph stared at her, equally speechless.

Suddenly the answer hit him: she didn't want to be reminded of anything related to blood bending. She didn't want to talk, she didn't want to think, and she didn't want to bend. Aang decided to try and get her to let it out; nothing good ever came of bottling things up.

After dinner, which was awkward and quiet, Aang walked up to Katara as she tried to disappear inside her tent, as she had for the past few hours. She looked at him reproachfully. "Katara, come with me."

He held out his hand as she shook her head silently. He made his voice firm, "Katara, come." His voice echoed a little with the voices of all his past lives, and even in her deadened state, Katara recognised the power and nodded meekly. He led her out of the camp and through the forest, holding her hand tightly. She trailed behind him, her eyes on the ground, carefully avoiding the full moon.

They ended up by a large lake; Katara skirted away from it, but Aang pulled her to sit down at the shore. He sat cross-legged opposite her and said, "Katara, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"N-nothing Aang…I'm fine." Her voice was horse, and she cleared her throat slightly.

"Katara, I know you. I know something's wrong, and I know what it is, but you need to tell me. Let it out."

She didn't want to say it, and she shook her head, her eyes watering. Aang clasped both her hands in between his, rubbing them slightly, warming them. "Katara, you have to tell me."

"I-I'm…ashamed." The flood gates broke open, and Katara began to speak quickly, "I'm ashamed of myself Aang. I'm a bloodbender, a bender of blood…I can control people!" Her voice rose, bordering a little on hysterical, "I don't want to, but I can feel it pulling me…I can feel it wanting to be unleashed. I can feel it all the time and it makes me ashamed. I'm a…a…monster!"

Katara ripped her hands from Aang's and buried her face in them, sobbing. He gently removed them, pulling them off her face and grasping them tightly. "Katara, you have nothing to be ashamed of. The bloodbending you did was to save Sokka and me; it was completely honourable. You only did it to defend yourself; Hama did it to attack and chain people up. Do you want to chain people up?"

Katara shook her head.

"Do you want to control people?"

Katara shook her head.

"Then you aren't like her, you're completely different." Katara opened her mouth to disagree, but Aang put one finger on her lips. "You know what the monks used to say? It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive." Katara looked confused. "Katara, you need to forgive yourself. Bottling it all up isn't going to help. You need to let it out, talk, waterbend. You need to realise you aren't a monster, and bloodbending doesn't make you a monster if you use it honourably, like I know you will."

Katara smiled, she knew Aang was right. She looked towards the water and raised her hand slightly, making a little column of water rise up out of the lake. Aang nodded satisfactorily. "There, see, and that doesn't hurt at all, does it?"

Katara laughed, "Not one bit. Thank you Aang." She hugged him, "I feel much better. And who says I really need to bloodbend anyway?"

"You don't have to use it if you don't want to, no matter what Hama says. She's just a crazy old lady anyway."

Katara laughed and played with the water on the shore. Aang had an idea and started to smile wickedly. Katara noticed and shuffled back a little, "Aang?" Before she could do anything, Aang had picked her up and chucked her straight into the lake. She gasped and stood up, dripping wet. Aang laughed at her from the bank, and she shouted, "I'll get you for that!"

A giant wave engulfed Aang suddenly, pulling him into the water. He screamed, "Bending battle!"

Back at camp, Toph and Sokka heard and saw the water battle and Sokka smiled. "That Aang has a way with words, doesn't he?"

Toph snorted, "You can sit there and be sentimental, Snoozles, but I'm going to go join in the 'battle.'" She earthbended off, shouting, "The Blind Bandit is coming for you, Sugar Queen and Twinkletoes!"

Sokka shrugged, finished the last of his soup and ran after her, swinging his boomerang. Of course, he ended up frozen to a wall, Toph had landed in a tree thanks to Aang, and Aang was stuck inside an ice ball, with a triumphant Katara on top. She giggled and melted it, leaving her and Aang standing on an ice platform. She kissed him on the cheek, "You, Avatar, need some more training, I think. New lesson - Never try to take on a master waterbender in the middle of a lake, my young pupil. It shall surely end in disaster."

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**Ah yes, that's what happened, in my imagination, of course**

**R&R everybody! Merry Christmas! x  
**


	7. Of Course She Noticed

**Sorry, sorry, i know i've been dead for a while, but i'm back!**

**This struck me when I was watching EIP last night. I thought, surely Katara noticed Aang's reactions at the 'scene?' so i decided. SOME INNER MONOLOGUING!**

**Lolz, enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER - Avatar does not belong to me. woop.

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**

"Did Jet just…die?" Zuko asked, astonished.

"You know, it was really unclear." Sokka replied uncertainly, and everyone else squirmed a little in their seats. Aang began to wonder whether seeing this play was really a good idea after all.

He sighed, wondering what horrors were yet to come. The play wound its way through their adventures in Ba Sing Se, Appa was found and Zuko had just been thrown into the Crystal Catacombs with Katara. Aang resisted the urge to groan loudly, this was the part he had been dreading.

Little did he know it, but Katara was wishing she could be anywhere else but sitting in her seat. She looked over nervously at Aang, and saw that his hands were gripping the rail tightly, his face carefully expressionless. She knew him well enough to discern that when he wore this face, he was generally very distressed.

As she turned back to the stage, the ridiculous woman playing her began to speak.

"I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive."

_Oh no,_ thought Katara, Zuko, Aang and Toph. Even Suki sensed the play was touching on a very delicate subject. Everyone (except Sokka) looked tense and on the edge of their seats, especially Aang. Sokka was blissfully humming away, playing with the hilt of his space sword.

"You don't have to make fun of me!" Zuko smiled wryly. At least they got one part right.

"But I mean it…I've had eyes for you since the day you first captured me." Katara caught Zuko's eye and they both slid deftly away from each other, their eyes now trained on the dusty floor. Both of them wore a similar grimace. Even if they knew the actors had got it all wrong, it was still incredibly awkward. Katara glanced worriedly at Aang again, who looked pained, his eyebrows drawn together and his mouth set in a grim line.

"Wait! I thought you were the Avatar's girl?!"

_She is. _Aang thought viciously, nodding to himself.

Was it just her, or did she see Aang nod? Her heart sped up a little, and Toph giggled.

"Haha! The Avatar? Why, he's like a little brother to me! I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way!

Katara was still watching Aang, and saw his face fall and his carefully composed face crumble. He looked more like a vulnerable, sad child than he ever had before. It hurt Katara deeply to see him this way, and she wished she was sitting next to him so she could tell him…

What?

"Besides, how could he ever find out about…this?" Katara winced as 'she' linked hands with Zuko and adopted her 'love' face.

Aang had finally had enough. He wouldn't, couldn't watch anymore. He stood up and stormed out, ignoring Sokka's whisper of, "Oh, you're getting up? Can you get me some fire flakes?"

As he left, he heard Sokka yell, "Fire gummies!"

Gods, Sokka could get his own fire gummies!

Katara watched Aang leave, and itched to follow him, but she stayed put, mostly because she didn't know what she would say to him.

What could she say to him? He was definitely upset by her and Zuko's scene, and from his kiss at the invasion, she didn't have a hard time guessing why. Poor Aang.

The question wasn't whether she loved him, because she knew she did, very much. She just didn't know in which way. She bit her lip anxiously, and Zuko leaned over quickly.

"For the record, I'm never speaking to you again."

She spared him an exasperated glance and a tired smile. She looked back towards the door, trying to summon the courage to go find Aang, but she couldn't make herself get to her feet. Zuko whispered, "Wait till the interval. The kid needs time alone."

Katara shook her head; since when did Zuko know so much?

"I'm observant. Plus, I left my girlfriend at home. I have nothing else to occupy my time."

"I would listen to Sparky, Sugar Queen. Aang is pretty upset right now."

Love was harder than she'd thought.

"The Avatar is no more!"

Ugh.

------------

Aang leant on the balcony, looked up at the moon, and tried hard not to remember the play. But whatever he tried, those images of Zuko and Katara together continued to creep into his mind.

_I've had eyes for you since the day you first captured me…I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way…he's like a little brother to me!_

That wasn't even what had happened! Zuko and Katara hadn't risen into the sky, hugging, had they?! He'd burst in to find them standing close together, but Katara had immediately cried his name happily and flung herself at him. But...but what had been happening before?

"Argh!" Aang yelled, venting a little of his frustration. He knew it. He knew it! He knew Katara didn't think of him like he thought of her. He knew she didn't love him the way he loved her.

This play definitely was the worst idea ever. This 'writer' had taken all his insecurities and doubts...his worst nightmares; and made it into a piece of theatre!

Aang dropped his head onto the balcony rail, trying hard not blast the whole theatre apart with airbending. That wouldn't be a solution.

At least it would stop the play.

He wondered if Katara really did prefer Zuko to him. If she did, he certainly couldn't see it. She'd hated him for a long time after he joined the group, though she acted that way with plenty of guys who had hurt her, or let her down. Like Jet.

This was all too confusing. The only thing that was solid in his life at the moment was his love for Katara, and that was the one thing he could do nothing about. It wasn't like he could just stop loving her, after all this time.

He had been a little more confident of her feelings for him, after she let him kiss her at the invasion, but now he was back where he started. Uncertain, unsure, and miserable.

"Aang?"

Katara's voice echoed from inside. Aang gathered his courage and glanced up at the moon again. He decided it was time, at least, to have a talk with her.

Katara walked out with the same thing on her mind. She didn't know what she wanted, but she at least needed some closure, if he had no feelings for her at all. Why did that idea make her sad?

_It's now or never. _She thought.

_And I'd prefer it to be now.

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_**Oo-er...i may do a companion piece to this. The whole storyline around nowish was very intersting, wasn't it?**

**Review, everyone!**

**Love, ATO x  
**


	8. Yeah, He'll Melt

**Hellooo again, fellow Avatar lovers!**

**I found this sitting in my word fanfiction folder, and i read it and thought ooo i must continue!  
**

**The Gaang is bored, and they're all at the western air temple! Could be set between the Western Air Temple and the Southern Raiders, but it has my own little ending.**

**Anyhoo, the gaang is bored, so they decide to play a game of Hide and Seek! What mayhem could occur…you decide! Well, no, I decide, but you catch my drift! In the words of the Avatar himself, a game of hide and seek can change everything!**

**DISLCAIMER – I don't own avatar, if I did it never would've ended! Bah.**

**Read on, my brave warriors!

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**

"I'm bored." Toph announced, slumped against a rock.

"Tell me about it," agreed Sokka, who was lying on his back with his feet propped up on the edge of the fountain.

Aang was lying flat out on Appa's tail, and Katara sat above him in the saddle, resting her head on her arms, making Aang's hat float around in the air on a water bubble, which Aang puffed up high with a poof of air when it got too close to his head. Zuko sat up against a wall, arms crossed, idly playing with a little ball of fire in his hand, which Momo would try to catch every now and again. He'd already set his ears on fire twice.

Hakoda, the prison guy, and The Duke were off hunting, and everyone was waiting for them to return. Sokka felt he would die soon without meat. Suki, who was sitting by Sokka's head, sighed, "So, is this all you do? Just…sit? Jeez, I thought what you guys did was more exciting than this."

"Oh, I'm sorry there's not enough excitement for you Suki" responded Aang irritably. "I suppose you have a better idea for what we should do?"

Suki blushed and looked down, playing with Sokka's ponytail. Things were bad when even Aang – the great peacemaker himself – was in a bad mood. Katara looked over at him, resisting the urge to shuffle up close to him and give him a hug.

Sokka sighed, and sat up, "Where's combustion man when you need him?"

"Wait…I thought his name was Sparky Sparky Boom man?"

"Keep with it Katara, we changed the name ages ago. I think you might be losing your touch…following Toph's example, I see." There was a high-pitched squeal as Toph launched Sokka into the air, sending him straight into the fountain. "Toph!"

"Whoops, sorry Snoozles."

"I've had enough of this…"

Katara rolled her eyes at Aang who groaned as Toph and Sokka started bickering loudly. Sokka angrily chucked a rock at Toph, who ducked, and it went flying at Zuko, hitting him in the head.

"Hey! Watch it!" Zuko stood up angrily, accidentally singeing the edge of Suki's trouser leg with sparks from his fireball. She jumped up, stamped it out and they both started arguing too. Momo jumped about, chattering loudly, and Katara sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Here we go again." She glanced at Aang, who looked up at her from below. "Surely there must be something we can do." Aang shrugged, keeping an eye on the squabbling teenagers, making sure they didn't kill each other.

He shrugged "Maybe there's some kind of…I dunno…game or something we can play, just to keep ourselves busy. Oh! I know! Hide and Seek!" Aang perked up, and his signature grin flashed across his face.

"Hide and what now?"

"Hide and Seek. It's a game me and the other monk kids used to play; one person is the seeker, and everyone else runs and hides, and the last one to be found wins!"

Katara shrugged, "Ok then, that has to be better than just leaving them to argue. But how to get them to be quiet…"

"No problem." Aang airbended himself up Appa's tail, over the saddle and onto his head. He whispered in Appa's ear, "Shut them up will you?" Appa roared loudly, sending three of the four bickerers off their feet onto the ground.

"Alright!" Aang shouted, "Katara and I have decided that we should all play a game to pass the time. Hide and Seek."

"Awh, Aang, not another stupid game…"

"Look, Sokka, either you play, or Katara freezes you to that cliff over there." Katara narrowed her eyes menacingly and Sokka quickly zipped his mouth.

"Ok, good. Now, everyone pick a partner." Sokka immediately grabbed Suki, and Teo wheeled himself over to Toph and nudged her.

"Partner with me?"

She suppressed a wry smile, the blind girl and disabled/flying boy partnered together? Somehow, she sort of liked the sound of it. "Alright then."

Aang moved quickly to stand beside Katara as he saw Haru edging towards her, "I'm with Katara." he said, glaring meaningfully at Haru. Katara giggled; Haru's face fell, and he looked over at Zuko.

"You mind?"

"Fine, whatever. Stupid game anyway."

Aang nodded, satisfied, "Right, now that we're all partnered up, I'll explain the rules. If you find someone, you have to catch them first before saying they've lost. Any bending is allowed, but no one is allowed out of this air temple. Other than that, you're allowed to hide pretty much wherever. Oh, and someone has to carry Toph when she's a seeker."

"What?!"

"Well, it's unfair; you can feel where everyone is. You're allowed to touch the ground when Teo says he's seen someone, ok?"

"But how am I gonna get around without using my feet?"

"You can just sit in my chair with me" Teo said brightly. Toph flushed pink but didn't complain.

"Ok," said Katara, "Zuko and Haru are the seekers. Game starts…now!" Immediately everyone split: Aang snapped open his glider and grabbed Katara round the waist without a second thought, launching them both into the air. Sokka and Suki ran off down one of the tunnels, and Toph earthbended her and Teo through the floor onto a lower level. Haru and Zuko were left, with their eyes on the wall, for 5 minutes, both of them counting down sulkily. When Zuko got to 200 he decided he was bored enough, and twisted round, trudging off up the steps. Haru trotted along behind him.

**Katara and Aang**

Katara laughed happily as Aang soared through the air; she loved flying. She thought that if she wasn't a waterbender, she would almost definitely want to be an airbender. Aang's arm tightened around her waist as he flew a loop the loop, and she tightened her arms which were already around his neck, trying to be inconspicuous.

Aang's storm grey eyes searched the temple, looking for a suitable place for them to hide. He was determined to win, partly because the longer they weren't found, the longer time he had alone with Katara.

He spotted a little botanical garden, high up near the edge of the cliff. Perfect.

He swooped down and landed, twirling them once in the air with his natural airbender grace before settling on the ground. Katara's eyes were glowing and she smiled brilliantly at Aang. He smiled back before realising his arm was still around her waist, and hers were still clutching his neck.

Trying hard not to blush he pulled her towards a pile of rocks, as an excuse not to let go of her. Katara saw through him, as she always did, but why would she complain?

"So, where are we hiding?"

Aang grinned at her excitedly, "You see the little brook, there? We can hide up where it starts; pretend to be a pile of rocks!"

She laughed, loving how carefree and happy he seemed. He hadn't been able to have fun like this in a long time. She let Aang pull her over to the rocky wall and she sat down, crossing her legs and bending the water off the ground. He sat down beside her and she shuffled until her knees were touching his, saying, "It'll look more convincing if the pile of rocks is smaller"

"Oh, right." He chuckled nervously and bended some stray rocks into an igloo shape, carefully creating a seemingly haphazard pile over them. Katara bended the water through a hole, to keep up the impression that they were a stream, and Aang closed off the final gap, enveloping them in darkness.

Katara sighed and leant back against the wall, crossing her arms, "Now what do we do?"

She felt Aang shrug from beside her, "We wait, I guess. I'll keep an ear out for any vibrations, and keep your bending water ready, in case we have to get away."

"It's very dark…"

Aang bended a small flame in his hand, holding it aloft, giving their little cave a soft red glow. He smiled, and his eyes twinkled, "Better?"

"Much." After a few minutes of silence, she gingerly put her head on his shoulder, and when he didn't resist, leant a bit more firmly on him. She closed her eyes and smiled happily, only just remembering to bend the water with her outside hand.

Aang switched the fire from his right hand to his left, then clasped hers, and there they sat, waiting for someone to find them but both hoping they never would.

**Toph and Teo**

Toph sat down leisurely on another rock and yawned widely. Teo wheeled himself over to her, "Aren't we gonna hide?"

"Nah, I can feel them coming, so we can just go through the wall if they get close."

Teo shrugged; happy he wouldn't have to kill his arms looking for some place to hide. He settled back in his chair and they lapsed into a slightly uncomfortable silence. Toph grimaced; she didn't like awkward silences.

"So…your Dad's an inventor, right?"

"Yeah." Teo twisted his fingers together, "he's pretty insane. What about yours?"

"You could say he was insane. My father's a Beifong" she said, as if that explained it.

"You're a Beifong? I didn't know they had a daughter…" Teo's eyes widened; he was sitting next to a Beifong? Who hadn't heard of the Beifongs? They were one of the most important families in the earth kingdom. He was surprised to see Toph roll her eyes and blow a few strands of her black hair out of her face.

"Yeah, I was just never allowed out of the house. Don't think that just because I'm blind I can't look after myself, because I can, thank you very much."

Teo got the impression that he'd hit a nerve, and he backtracked, "No, I know you can, I saw you in the invasion. I just never knew they had a daughter. They didn't tell anyone about you?" Toph shook her head, a little miserably, "Wow, that sucks."

"You're telling me."

"So is that why you ran away?"

"Yeah. Aang came to visit one day, and he gave me the chance to come with him and not have to hide anymore. I let my parents think that I was as helpless as they wanted me to be, but it got to be too much, so I took up Aang's offer. And now, here I am." Toph glanced at Teo in his chair; suddenly catching on to the fact that he was as disabled as her. "Didn't your dad keep you inside because of your legs?" She felt comfortable discussing his disability; after all, she was blind, so she could empathise.

Teo shook his head, smiling, "My dad's one of those people who thinks you can do anything if you want to…even if you can't walk. He's the one who made me my first glider, because I always wanted to fly like everyone else did. We didn't let my disability stop me, so I can do pretty much everything that anyone else does. My dad doesn't stop me."

Toph sighed, "I wish my parents were like that."

Teo patted her hand gently, "You just need to show them you can look after yourself"

"They won't be convinced that easily. That's why I left, I couldn't take it. And now they have no idea where I am…and I'm not sure if I even care."

"So you never want to go back?"

Toph shrugged, confused by how open she could be with this boy; the only other person she'd really talked to about her problems was Sokka. "Well…never say never…but I'm not going back anytime soon. I don't want to be shut up again."

"I understand. Hey, when you do decide to go back, I can come with you, you know," he punched her shoulder gently, same as she always did, "provide moral support."

Toph smiled, "Thanks, I'd like that."

"Cool."

They sat together in silence for a while again, both marvelling on how comfortable they were together; suddenly Toph jumped up. "Zuko and Haru alert…straight ahead!" She rammed her hands downwards, and they shot up through the ceiling, Teo grabbing Toph's arm as his chair wobbled, dangerously close to the edge. He whooped in excitement as the ceiling closed, just as Zuko and Haru ran in.

"Curses!" Haru shouted, "They've escaped! The fiends!"

Zuko groaned and smacked a hand to his forehead, "Would you please stop talking like a 2000 year old monk?!

Toph and Teo laughed together as they heard Zuko and Haru shouting at each other, then Teo wheeled himself to the edge of the courtyard, looking out over the gorge, his face pensive. "What?" Toph asked as she moved to stand next to him.

Teo turned to her, wearing an excited smile, "How would you feel about a quick flight?"

"What?!" Toph blanched, flying on a chair would be worse than flying on Appa! "Couldn't we just…erm…walk?"

Teo shook his head, "There's a perfect hiding spot up there," he pointed to a distant upside down temple, "and the only way there is gliding. Come on, the wind's perfect! I promise I'll look after you." He shot her a blinding smile, and Toph found herself unable to resist.

"Ok, fine, but you'd better not let me fall." He pulled her down to sit on his legs; she was much smaller and lighter than him, something she was glad of, and he clicked open his glider.

"Ready?"

"No…"

"Earthbend me off, would you?" Toph nodded and shot out a slab of earth, propelling them towards and over the edge. Teo pulled on his controls and they went swooping up into the air, Toph screaming and Teo whooping all the way.

**Sokka and Suki**

"Sokka, stop it, we can stop running now!" Suki giggled as Sokka pulled her further and further into the air temple, running around corners and through rooms with wild abandon, until every space they ran through was filled with shadows; Suki was sure they were halfway into the cliff by now.

Sokka stopped abruptly by a curtain, and Suki ran straight into him. He put his arm around her and nodded, satisfied. Suki looked up at him and said, "It's a curtain."

"I know, but this is the perfect hiding spot! I found it when Toph shot me into the cliff the other day." Suki giggled as she remembered that incident; Sokka had tried to prove that Toph wasn't a girl. That hadn't ended well for Sokka, but Aang and Katara had had a good laugh. That was until Toph earthbended Aang onto Katara, leaving him lying on top of her.

"Come on!" Sokka pulled her enthusiastically through the curtain; it was a storage cupboard, and was full with blankets, airbender robes, pillows and giant rugs for the Air Bison. Sokka put some cushions in the furthest, darkest corner, laying them out so there was enough space to lie down flat, then pushed Suki onto it and sat down next to her. She put blankets in a heap over them, and Sokka hung some robes on the rack above them. The final effect was a large heap of blankets under neatly hung up robes; Sokka was proud of himself.

"There, now no one will find us!"

Suki laughed at his excitement and kissed his cheek, "Plus, now I can do this," she moved right up close to him and put her head on his shoulder. Sokka put his arms around her and they both snuggled down deeper into the blankets.

They lay there, warm and comfortable, Sokka listening out for footsteps; Suki too busy enjoying having Sokka close to her. They never managed to sneak off together as much as they would like. Suki reminded herself to thank Aang profusely for this Hide and Seek idea. Though she had a feeling he would be congratulating himself since he had a whole day to be alone with Katara; Airbenders were a master of disguise. She didn't want to imagine what they were up to, but all she could say was that Aang was one crafty 13 year old boy.

She neglected to mention this to Sokka, who was muttering plans of what he would do to any seekers who came looking for them, and closed her eyes, gently dropping off to sleep, glad of the peace and quiet, and glad she had such an imaginative boyfriend.

Sokka stopped muttering and looked down at Suki, who was breathing slowly with a gentle smile playing across her lips. Sokka was glad she was asleep; Suki hadn't got much rest in the fire nation prison and he wanted to take care of her now she was here. In his opinion, she spent too much time running around and hurting herself; he would much rather she stayed with him. But he knew he couldn't keep Suki from doing what she wanted, and he doubted he would like her as much as she did if she was a meek, obedient woman. Her ability to look after herself was one of the things he loved about her.

He rested his head on hers and kissed her hair, closing his eyes too, too warm and happy to keep watch.

They lay there together, asleep in each others arms, and neither of them could look happier.

**Zuko and Haru**

_Why did I have to get stuck with a guy with a moustache?!_ Zuko thought to himself angrily as he watched Toph and Teo disappear through the roof.

_Jeez, that guy could really look after his hair better! Look at it, it's flopping around all over the place! I keep my hair in check, and I look great!_ Haru fingered his moustache fondly, wondering what Katara thought of it. He would much rather be with her right now than a grumpy firebender

"So…shall we go?" Haru said nervously; Zuko just flipped his hair out of his face and strode towards one of the tunnels, leaving Haru to hurry along behind him.

"Toph and Teo went upwards, so we might as well check back up there." Zuko wasn't much of a fan of Hide and Seek at the moment, but he knew if he didn't play Aang and Katara would be mad…and an angry Katara was a force to be reckoned with. Besides, he didn't want to get himself kicked out of the group just as he'd been accepted into it.

They trudged together through the brightly light halls, Haru glancing at Zuko every now and again, trying to find something to say that would fill the awkward silence. "So…what do you think of Katara?"

Zuko chuckled to himself; he'd known this guy was yet another Katara-lover, "I think she's alright, but she doesn't like me much."

"Oh. Do you like her?" Haru was trying to be nonchalant, assessing how much competition he had besides Aang.

Zuko tried very hard to be serious, "I think I will, once she stops hating me."

Haru's face fell in the light of new obstacles to Katara, "Oh."

Zuko asked slyly, "So what's all this about? Do YOU like Katara?"

"No…you said you did!"

"Hey, I like Katara as much as the next girl, but I have a girlfriend back in the firenation. Her name's Mai."

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Why are you so interested anyway?"

"No reason." Haru was starting to annoy Zuko now with his Katara-obsessing, so Zuko decided to knock him down a peg…and then step on him.

"Well, I'm pretty sure Aang likes her a lot too…and she likes him."

Haru blanched, fingering his moustache worriedly, "S-she likes him? Not someone with, say…a moustache?"

It was all Zuko could do not to burst into hysterical laughter at Haru's transparent love of his moustache and Katara, "Nah, Katara likes her men with no facial hair at all, I think." Zuko then decided to take it one step further, wanting to drive Haru completely insane, "Did you see how Aang immediately claimed her as his partner? I don't even want to know what they decided to do together."

Haru stammered, "Y-you think they're doing something?"

Zuko shrugged, "Oh, yeah, it happens all the time. I know the signs, you see, because Mai and I used to do it."

"Oh?" said Haru in a weak voice, probably trying not to imagine it.

"Yeah. I'll say one thing: Aang's lucky he's bald." Zuko had no idea what that comment could imply, but he wanted Haru to use his imagination.

His words had the desired effect: Haru looked like he was about to be sick, "We have to find them!" was all he said, before running off towards the stairs leading up to the botanical gardens. Zuko burst out laughing and collapsed against a wall.

"What an idiot!"

**Aang and Katara**

Katara tried hard not to laugh as she heard Toph screaming and Teo whooping; she'd guessed that Teo had taken her for a glide, and if she wasn't sitting here with Aang she would most definitely want to see the look on Toph's face.

Aang chuckled from beside her, his shoulder bouncing up and down slightly, "What I wouldn't give to see Toph's face right now."

"My thoughts exactly."

They sat in silence again for a few minutes, listening as Toph screams died down and finally stopped. Aang supposed that they had reached solid ground again, and Toph was about to earthbend Teo out of his chair and into another fountain. He listened hard for that signature crack of bent rock, but his sensitive ears picked up nothing.

_Huh, _he thought, _Toph must really like Teo._

He voiced his thoughts aloud to Katara, who's head was still on his shoulder and who's hand was still in his, and she agreed. "I wonder what Sokka and Suki are doing."

Aang laughed, "It's not hard to guess, considering you caught him in her room with a rose in his mouth."

"I still don't know where in Agni's name he got it!"

Aang blushed, suddenly glad of the flickering darkness; he knew exactly where the roses could be found, he was the one who took Sokka there to get them. He didn't tell Katara he'd been planning on getting some for her; that was the reason he had taken a whole day off to find them. He'd told everyone he had 'Avatar Stuff' to attend to, and no one questioned him.

Being the Avatar did have its advantages.

Whilst Aang was silent, Katara's thoughts were straying to how much she would like it if a certain someone turned up in her room with a rose in _his _mouth. She blushed red at the thought of it, not surprised by how much she liked the idea. Thoughts like that had been straying into her head a lot lately, especially since the invasion…but she had to admit it had been happening since long before THAT incident.

Aang interrupted her musing, "Katara, you're blushing."

Katara blushed even more as she said, "No I'm not!"

Aang grinned down at her, his grey eyes portraying some different emotion which Katara couldn't recognise. In a fit of confidence quite unlike him, Aang leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'd give you one hundred silver pieces for those thoughts…unless they're about Zuko. Then I wouldn't want to know."

She shook her head, too breathless to laugh, "No…not about Zuko."

"Haru?"

They were staring at each other now, both sitting up straight, Aang's face slightly teasing yet some of his jealous worry showing through, "Not Haru."

Katara's quick denouncement of the two teenagers Aang thought rivalled his affections the most gave him an extra boost of confidence, and it was this that drew him to tightly squeeze Katara's hand, "Good."

Katara took a deep breath, desperately trying to find some other topic of conversation before her feelings overrode her and she did something she might regret. Might. "Your hair's growing back," she said quickly, ignoring the disappointment that boiled within her as Aang broke their locked gazes to look upwards, as if he could see his head if he did.

"It is?"

Katara didn't know what possessed her to say it, but she did, "I liked your hair, you know, I mean…you looked good with it. Not to say you don't look good now…erm…oh Agni…" she whispered to herself, not seeing Aang's delighted smile.

"Thanks, Katara. Your hair looks good too; I like it when you have it down…" Again, with confidence he never knew he possessed, he put out the fire he was holding in one hand and lightly brushed a strand of her dark, curly hair. Katara pushed one of the rocks away so a little light filtered into their cave, and so she could see Aang better. He was only two inches away now, his fingers still twisting her hair, their hands still entwined, and his gentle smile still playing about his lips.

Katara repressed a sigh that seemed to come from nowhere, her azure eyes locked in his grey ones, his smile slowly fading as his mind was blank, except for one thought.

He was inches away from Katara, they were alone in a tiny cave, and she was gripping his hand and staring at him as if there was no tomorrow.

Was he imagining it as he lightly moved closer, his hand slipping from her hair to her shoulder, aware that one of his wildest dreams could be coming true if he was just brave enough?

Katara couldn't move her eyes away from Aang in that moment; moreover, she didn't want to. She could hardly believe what was happening, yesterday if you had told her that today she would be alone with Aang, in the dark, her heart beating so fast it could jump out of her chest, his hand on her shoulder and his familiar face inches away…oh she would have laughed, but wished it could be true.

Would she ever have guessed that she could finally do something she had been dreaming about, sometimes unintentionally, ever since she'd visited Aunt Wu? And now that it was so close…all she wanted was for Aang to close the tiny amount of space between them.

Aang was so close, he really was, but neither of them heard the running footsteps and the shout of, "His glider!" Neither of them realised as the rocks were pulled away by an impatient moustached man, whilst a scarred and shaggy-haired one laughed his head off from behind, until pure daylight pierced their bubble and both of them closed their eyes against the harsh brightness.

Haru was speechless at what he found under the pile of rocks: Aang and Katara, so close together he could hardly believe they were two people. He backpedalled at the fierce glare Katara was shooting his way. Zuko started laughing even harder at the rage on the airbender's face, and at Haru's devastated expression; this couldn't have worked out better if he'd planned it.

Aang could've killed Haru in that moment, but as soon as Katara's head turned away from him he made up his mind. He wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by.

"Katara!"

Katara turned back to him, and only just noticed Aang's determined expression before his lips were on hers, kissing her with wild abandon that she'd only dreamed of, and experienced briefly once. This time, however, she reacted differently. Immediately she wrapped her arms around Aang's neck, holding herself to him in an effort to show him how she never wanted him to let her go.

He had no intention of it: Aang had already pulled Katara onto his lap and his hands were back in her thick hair. Aang's arrows glowed brightly, the light trailing down from his forehead through to his fingers, lighting up the already bright garden, and the wind picked up, making the plants around them flutter.

Haru gasped, and, under some fit of misconception that Aang had attacked Katara against her will, he made to split them up, his moustache bristling angrily. Aang, sensing he was coming, simply stuck his hand out and airbended him into the cliff and Katara twisted her hand from behind Aang's neck, freezing him there. Then they carried on as if nothing had happened.

Haru was speechless, and cold to boot, by this point, and when Aang gripped Katara's waist and she traced the arrow across his head and down his neck, he lost it.

The couple were broken an inch apart by a loud bark from Zuko and a blast of fire from his fists. They looked towards him to find him on the ground, rolling around laughing, "He…fainted…hahahaha…oh Agni…this…is…great!" Sure enough, Haru was limp under the cover of ice. Aang burst into laughter too, burying his face in Katara's hair and shaking uncontrollably. Katara managed to keep herself calm, though she couldn't help but giggle.

Aang felt her kiss his cheek softly, and he pulled back - his laughter stilling - to look at her. She smiled brilliantly at him, and all she said was, "Oh my Aang."

He kissed her again, softer and sweeter this time, then Zuko said, "Erm, guys? You have to stop now: we caught you."

Aang's arrows flared menacingly as he broke the kiss yet again to glare at him, but Zuko was undaunted. "Hey, you made up the rules, and kissing breaks aren't allowed." Zuko grinned and Katara rolled her eyes, but, for once, she saw the funny side of it. She stood up, and Aang went with her, pulling her close to him with an arm around her waist as if he'd been doing it for years. Which – in both their heads – he had.

As they left, Aang snapping open his glider again for a shorter ride whilst Zuko was planning to do some fire-flying, Zuko glanced over at the unconscious Haru, "Are you going to unfreeze him any time soon?"

They both replied in unison, "He'll melt."

**Toph and Teo**

As Teo landed, Toph rolled off him, not noticing that she missed the contact slightly, and lay flat on the ground, her cheek pressed against it. She glared at where she knew Teo was, "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

He laughed, "You did enjoy it a little, come on." He wheeled himself over and flicked a piece of rock at her, which she neatly earthbended out into the foggy gorge.

"Enjoy it?! I was terrified?"

"Terrified? The great Toph…scared? I managed to scare you?" Teo laughed delightedly, and Toph couldn't make herself feel angry as she listened to his carefree amusement.

"Fine, I was afraid, but remember it while you can, because you won't be seeing it again any time soon."

"I will remember this," he said seriously, and Toph fought a blush at his tone.

"Well…we'd better go?" She was surprised by the indecision in her voice; since when was she unsure about anything? What was happening to her?

"You know, I'm pretty happy here."

"Where are we, exactly?"

"On some balcony," Teo looked around, "We're on the edge of a roof, did you see how they're upside down?"

"No," Toph said softly.

"Oh, right, erm, I'm sorry…"

"No, it's ok." Toph sat up and earthbended herself a seat next to Teo. "Teo?"

"Yes?"

"Would you…describe where we are for me?" Teo could tell this was something she didn't ask very often, and smiled, putting his hand over hers, expecting her to wave him off. He was surprised when she smiled too.

"Sure."

That was where Aang, Katara and Zuko found them an hour later. Teo still had his hand on Toph's, and he was describing avidly for her what the misty gorge looked like, while she looked on, smiling gently, for once looking a little like the girl she was.

**That night**

They all gave up looking for Sokka and Suki after that; Toph looked a little sick, and no one wanted to know what that was about, so they just left it and Teo patted Toph's back as she struggled to ignore the 'vibrations'.

When Sokka and Suki returned, both looking a little red for two people who had been innocently 'hiding' for the past few hours, to find a rather happy Zuko, Teo and Toph deep in conversation, and Katara and Aang nowhere to be found, they were aptly puzzled.

"What's going on?" Sokka asked Zuko, who shook his head.

"You'll find out."

"Toph?"

"Yes, Snoozles?" Toph glanced over at him, her light green eyes sparkling, and Sokka did a double take at how different she looked.

"Oh…nothing." He looked over at Suki, who was grinning smugly at Toph and Teo's intertwined hands.

Sokka was even more confused as Toph looked up, "Here come the lovebirds!"

For once there was no shout of, "We're not lovebirds!" from Katara, and Sokka strained to see why. Katara and Aang slowly ambled together into the small circle of light the fire provided, and everyone but Sokka grinned. There was a collective sigh of, "Finally."

Aang's arm was around Katara's waist; her blushing face was pressed into his shoulder. He was on the edge of going full Avatar-glow as they sat down together and Katara took his free hand. She giggled something quietly into his ear and he kissed her cheek as an answer.

Sokka had had enough, "What in the name of boomerang is going on here?!"

The Avatar just laughed, and said, "A game of hide and seek can change everything."

"You said it," said Toph, unexpectedly, and Aang smiled at her.

Sokka slumped down again and rested his head on Suki's legs, "This is too much. I can't even be bothered to kill you for kissing my sister, Aang. Don't give me that look, I know you did. I can tell." He yawned and everyone laughed at Aang's surprised, but happy, grin.

After another comfortable silence, Sokka stared up at the ceiling, and asked, "Where's Haru?"

"Frozen to the cliff face."

"Oh. Should we go help him?"

All five of them looked at each other, then they all said, "He'll melt."

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**Wow, that was long! How in Aang's name did that happen?!?!**

**I hoped you liked! I've put this as a stand-alone thing, but if it doesn't get many hits i'll put it with my other avatar one-shots. Hope you enjoyed it! REVIEW!!!!**

**xxx Love ATO x  
**


	9. Firelord Ozai, you're not wearing pants!

**Another nightmares and daydreams outtake...i told you i'd make more! I hope you enjoy xx**

**DISCLAIMER - Mike and Bryan own Avatar, the Last Airbender**

**Read on, my brave warriors!

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**

"You know what?" Aang yawned as he lay down on his fluffy bed, "I think I am ready."

Katara watched him, smiling as he turned over and fell asleep, his head buried in the makeshift pillow.

"Well," Sokka said, stretching, "Our work here is done. Operation Get Aang to Sleep is complete." And with that he wandered off to his sleeping back, lay down, and was asleep in a few seconds.

Toph yawned then said, "Katara, are you coming?"

She shook her head, "I'm just going to stay here for a while...make sure Aang doesn't have any more nightmares."

"Whatever makes you happy there, Sugar Queen," Toph grinned to herself at Katara's transparent motherly concern for Aang – though, sometimes, she wasn't completely sure the feelings were motherly anymore. She turned and left, lying down on the ground opposite Sokka and wriggling her toes, waiting for sleep to find her.

Katara stayed with Aang, not wanting to leave yet, and she gently sat down and stroked his black hair, which had been growing longer and messier by the day. Somehow, she was a little sad he was going to get rid of it tomorrow; secretly, she had liked the look on him quite a lot. More than she should.

She slowly reached behind him and untied his headband on a whim, folding it neatly at the foot of the bed and pushing the hair back from his forehead, running her fingers through it gently.

Aang sighed happily in his sleep, turning over again so he was lying flat out, and Katara stood up to avoid him rolling into her.

"Sleep well, Aang," she whispered after a couple more minutes, leaning down and kissing his forehead gently.

As she lay down and closed her eyes, one more voice echoed across the campsite that made her smile.

"No, Firelord Ozai! You're not wearing pants!"

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**You see, this is what I do when I'm in a Chalet with nothing but a computer. Crank out the avatar one shots! I was watching episodes today and ideas kept coming to me, and the stupid plot bunnies never ever leave me alone, damn them.**

**Review? It makes me very happy, and i didn't trek all the way up a giant hill to the internet caf for nothing! Even one word would be aweesome xxxx**

**Love, ATO x  
**


	10. A Message for Zuko

**A little message for Zuko.**

**DISCLAIMER - Mike and Bryan own avatar

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**

One fine day, as the sun was rising and the birds were chirping, a series of cries could be heard echoing across the snoozing forest.

These cries, of course, were from one psychotic, obsessive teenager.

"I'll get you, Avatar!"

"Calm down, nephew," Iroh shook his head, "So the Avatar got away again, is it really that bad?"

"Of course it is! I must capture him to regain my honour!" Zuko screamed, kicking a tree, "and I can't live without my honour!"

"What honour is this, exactly?"

"Uncle, how could you say that?!"

"It wasn't me who said that, nephew, it was her." Iroh pointed behind Zuko, to where a brown haired and brown eyed girl was sitting on a rock, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.

"Oh, right. How could you say that?!" Zuko screamed at the girl, who just rolled her eyes.

"Because you have no honour, stupid. What honour is there in a sixteen year old guy chasing after a twelve year old?"

Zuko was speechless; who exactly did this person think she was? "He's the avatar!"

"He's twelve! My little sister is twelve! How old are you? Sixteen," she said slowly, enunciating the sixteen, "don't you have something else to be getting along with besides chasing twelve year olds?"

"I'll show you!" Zuko shot a fireball at the girl, but it went straight through her; she scoffed.

"I'm not officially in this plot line, so therefore I'm not real and you can't shoot me. So I'll say again, YOU HAVE NO HONOUR! You're a sixteen year old guy with a scar on his face, who chases after perfectly innocent twelve year olds with your doddery uncle, who's been rejected by his dad, who he still can't see is EVIL. Oh, and you keep getting defeated by said twelve year old. How can you have any honour at all when you have some random perverted obsession!"

"He's the avatar!"

"Do you have any friends?" she said abruptly.

"No..." Zuko said reluctantly, "I don't want friends."

"What do you spend most of your life doing?"

"Following the avatar."

"And you are very grumpy too, my nephew," Iroh added in; the girl nodded.

"Yes, that's true, you also have anger management problems. So, let's recap, you have no friends, you spend most of your time stalking people, and you have a bad temper, which means you have no friends. You can't regain your honour because you HAVE NONE!"

The girl crossed her arms again, which she'd been flailing about as she ranted, and tilted her head at Zuko, who was looking at the ground. "Are you alright, nephew?"

"Who are you?"

"Just a person who watches this show and hates pre-season three Zuko."

"You don't like me either?"

"Mmm," the girl nodded, "glad you've noticed that. Now, why don't you go have some long, life-changing experience until you decide to go good and FINALLY grow some hair."

And with that she disappeared into thin air, leaving Zuko staring at the floor and Iroh scratching his head, "Well, nephew, I hope this has taught you something."

"It has," he said grimly, "the avatar can SHAPE SHIFT!"

Sigh.

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**Just a little message to pre-season three Zuko  
**

**Before you all flame me, i do love Zuko (even though i'm a Kataanger and a Maiko) so i'm just doing this because i hated pre-season three zuko. I mean, really, what an obsessive meanie. Sigh.**

**Love, ATO xx  
**


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